Bolt actions for rifles



May 31, 1966 w. c. GlTCHELL BOLT ACTIONS FOR RIFLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 21, 1964 mm ww INVENTOR. W/L BUR 0. 6/ TOHEL L AT TOHNEY 3 Sheet s-Sheet 2 W. C. GITCHELL BOLT ACTIONS FOR RIFLES May 31, 1966 FiledApril 21, 1964 May 31, 1966 w. c. GITCHELL BOLT ACTIONS FOR RIFLES 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 21, 1964 INVENTOR. W/LBUR C. GITCHELLATTORNEY United States Patent 3,253,362 BOLT ACTIONS FOR RIFLES WilburC. Gitchell, P.O. Box 283,

Point Reyes Station, Calif. Filed Apr. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 361,429 13Claims. (Cl. 42-16) This invention relates to a bolt action for rifles.

In bolt actions previously used in rifles the primer, which is theweakest part of a cartridge, is not supported. In previous actions,whether bolt or otherwise, when the primer is struck by a straightfiring pin, the cartridge goes oif and builds gas pressure. When thepressure is sufliciently great, it flattens out the primer on the boltface and depresses the firing pin pushing it back through the firing pinhole. This cuts a small hole in the primer letting gas escape rearward,which can damage the action as well as cause injury to the shooter.

Furthermore, previous actions do not support the cartridge case headcompletely. Some bolt actions are counterbored in the bolt face andthese are the strongest actions to date. However, even these do not fillthe extractor groove and when the pressure becomes great enough, thebrass in the case head will flow into any open space not backed by steelor otherwise, thereby it deforms the cartridge case and prevents reuseof the same and also it damages the extractor.

The primary features of this invention are the provision of a boltaction, which completely seals the firing pin hole and supports theprimer so as to prevent primer blow out thereby increasing the strengthof the bolt action and rendering it absolutely gasproof; and also togrip the cartridge case head so as to completely fill the extractorgroove with steel so there can be no movement or flow of brass in thecase head.

Other features of the invention are to provide suitable means forcontrolling the extractors movable relatively to the bolt into and outof the extractor groove of the cartridge head according to the movementof the bolt action into and out of the receiver of the rifle.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements andcombinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the detailsof the construction thereof without departing from the scope of thepresent invention as set forth in the following specification, and asdefined in the following claims; hence I do not limit my invention tothe exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts asdescribed in the said specification, nor do I confine myself in theexact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings for the illustrative embodiment of the invention,wherein:

'FIG. 1 is a perspective exterior view of the bolt action removed fromthe receiver.

FIG. 2 is side elevation of the receiver showing the triggerlongitudinal.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, broken away in part, the section being takenon lines 33 of FIG. 2, showing the action in the receiver in cockedattitude.

FIG. 4 is a partially fragmental longitudinal sectional view of the boltaction in the receiver in withdrawn position ejecting the empty case.

Patented May 31, 1966 FIG. 5 is cross-sectional view, the section beingtaken on lines 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is cross-sectional view, the section being taken on line 66 ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, the section being taken on lines 77 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view, the section being taken on lines 8-3of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a perspective detail view of the movable extractor.

FIG. 10 is a partly section, fragmental subassembly view showing therelative position of the trigger to the cocking parts of the boltaction.

FIG. ll'is a partly fragmental end view of FIG. 3.

In the general organization, my bolt action 1 is movable into and out ofa receiver 2 suitably secured, usually threaded, on the end of thebarrel breech 3 of a rifle. The barrel breech 3 has the usual firingchamber 4 into which fits a cartridge case 6. Usually the cartridge case6 has a case head 7 with an extractor groove 8 near the base of the casehead. In the middle of the case head 7 is a primer or primer cup 9 ofthe usual type.

A bolt body 11 slidably fits into the recess 12 of the receiver 2. Inthe illustrative embodiment herein the bolt body Ill has three spacedrows of locking lugs 13. In each set of lugs 13 there are threecircumferentially spaced lugs 13, and the lugs 13 of the spaced seriesare axially aligned so as to be slidable in the correspondinglongitudinal or axial grooves 14 in the receiver recess 12. The receiverrecess 12 has a series of radial locking grooves 16 spaced to correspondto the positions of the locking lugs 13 in the locked position of thebolt action so that as the bolt body 11 is turned in the lockingposition, the locking lugs 13 enter the respective locking grooves 16and positively lock the bolt action in firing position. For themanipulation of the bolt action, there is a usual bolt handle 17 whichworks in a peripheral recess 13 in the wall of the receiver 12. In thefiring or forward end of the bolt body 11 is formed a frusto-conicalvalve seat 19. A firing valve 21 is seated on the valve seat 19 so thatthe forward face 22 of the valve 21 is spaced inwardly from the end face23 of the bolt body 11. The space thus created accommodates a firing tit24 located opposite the center of the primer cup 9 in proper firingposition. A cross pin 26 extends across an elongated slot 27 in a valvestem 23 and is secured in the bolt body 11. A coil spring 29 between therear end of the elongated slot 27 and the cross pin 26 normally pullsthe valve stem 23 rearwardly so as to seat the firing valve 21 on thevalve seat 119.

A firing pin 31 extends rearwardly spaced from the.

end of the valve stem 28. The bolt body 11 has an axial bore 32extending from the rear end so that the bottom 33 of the bore is spacedfrom the firing face 23 of the bolt body 11. The valve stem 28 projectsthrough the bottom 33 into the bore 32 so as to allow for the shorttravel or movement of the firing pin 31 necessary to fire the cartridge.

In the rear end of the bore 32 is threaded the stem 34 of a bolt collar36, which latter surrounds the rear end of the bolt body 11. The boltcollar 36 and its stem 34 have an axial recess 37 therethrough in whichis slidable the body 38 of cocking piece 39. The rear end of the firingpin 31 is suitably secured in the cockingpiece body 38, by interlockinglugs 41 and pockets a, Q 42. The cocking piece 39 is connected to thetrigger mechanism 40 of the rifle as shown in FIG. 10 for suitablycocking the firing pin 31 and for firing at will. For this purpose inthe cocking piece 39 is a cam groove 43, which fits over and against acocking cam 44 on the end of a hub 50 of the bolt collar 36. In the camgroove 43 is cam pin 45 offset 60 from the cocking cam 44 so as to beengaged by the latter when the bolt body 11 is turned 60 into retractingattitude. A firing pin spring 46 around the firing pin 31 bears againstthe inner end of the bolt collar stem 34 and at its other end against aflange 47 on the firing pin 31 so as to normally urge the firing pinagainst the rear end of the valve stem 28.

When the cocking piece 39 is cocked, it compresses the firing pin spring46 so that when the cocked cocking piece 39 is released, the firing pinspring 46 rams the firing pin 31 against the rear end of the valve stem28 thereby to ram the firing valve 21 toward the primer cup 9 and thusdrive the firing tit 24 into the primer cup 9. As the gas pushes theprimer cup 9 rearwardly, or any gas that may escape, forces the firingvalve 21 against the valve seat 19 and positively seals the bolt actionagainst any escape of gas.

In the bolt bore 32 is an actuator sleeve 48 which surrounds the firingpin spring 46 and the flange 47 and is slidable relatively to the same.The sleeve 48 is shorter than the distance between the inner end of thecocking piece body 38 and the bottom 33 of the bore 32. A coil spring 49between the inner end of the cocking piece body 38 and the sleeve 48normally urges the sleeve 48 toward the bottom 33 of the bore 32. Theforward end of the sleeve 48 is spaced from the bore bottom 33 so as toallow relative travel of the sleeve 48. The sleeve 48 is an extractorrelease and it has suitable slots 51 near its forward end to be engagedby lever arms 52 of extractors 53. Each extractor 53 is curved so as toconform to one-third of the outer periphery of the bolt body 11 and islocated between the bolt body 11 and the receiver recess 12. The leverarm 52 extends generally at right angles from about the middle of eachextractor S3,

as shown in FIG. 9, and then pivoted in slot 54 in the bolt body 11 intothe adjacent slot 51 of the extractor release sleeve 47. Each extractor53 has its outer end bent inwardly to fit against a mitered wall 56under the inner end of the barrel breech 3 and against the firing end ofthe bolt body 11. The inner end of rim of each extractor is cut so as toform a claw 58 which projects and fits into one-third portion of theextractor groove 8 of the cartridge case head 7. The claw end of rim 58of each extractor 53 also fits over the outer periphery of the baseflange 59 beyond the extractor groove 8 of the cartridge case head 7 soas to firmly and tightly hold the bottom of the cartridge case againstthe firing end face 23 of the bolt body 11.

The bolt body 11 also has a fixed extractor claw 61 formed thereon forthe remaining third of its periphery. Thus the fixed extractor claw 61and the claws 58 of the pivoted extractors 53 completely fill theextractor groove 8 of the cartridge and positively hold the cartridgeduring the firing and also during the loading and during the firstportion of the extracting of the cartridge.

The receiver recess 12 has an enlarged periphery 62 from about itsmiddle to the rear end so that as the bolt action is retracted from thereceiver recess 12 after the swingable extractors 53 pass into thisenlarged recess periphery, the extractor release spring 49 pushes theextractor sleeve 48 forwardly and thereby swings the extractors 53outwardly into the enlarged recess periphery 62 thereby withdrawing theclaws 58 from the extractor groove 8 to facilitate the ejection of thecartridge in the usual manner. The enlarged recess periphery 62 iscircumferentially about two-thirds of the entire recess periphery andconforms to the location of the swingable extractors 53 after the boltis turned for retracting from the receiver recess 12. In order tofacilitate the insertion of the swingable extractors 53 into thereceiver recess 12, the inner end of the enlarged periphery 62 is formedinto a tapered shoulder 63.

To facilitate the ejection of the cartridge, there is provided anejector pin 64 in the firing end face 23 of the bolt body 11. Thisejector pin 64 has an elongated slot 66 therein through which a limitpin 67 extends to limit the outward movement of the ejector pin 64 underthe action of an ejector spring 68 between the inner end of the ejectorpin 64 and the bottom of the pocket 69 into which the ejector pin 68 ispushed by the base of the cartridge. When the swingable extractors 53are permitted to swing outwardly and thereby release two-thirds of theextractor groove 8, then the spring pressed ejector pin 64 operates topush the cartridge away from the inner end face 23 of the bolt body 11,as shown in FIG. 4.- F or this purpose, the ejector pin 64 is locateddiametrically opposite from the fixed claw 58 thereby to cause suitabletilting of the cartridge for ejection in the usual manner of rifleactions.

The cocking piece 39 is suitable engaged by a part of the usual trigger40 for cocking the firing pin 31. In the illustrative embodiment hereinthe cocking piece 39 is substantially cylindrical in cross section asshown in FIGS. 10 and 11. From the bottom 71 of the cocking piece 39extends a cocking sear 72 to be engaged by the trigger sear 73 on thetrigger cam 74. The trigger cam 74 is fulcrumed on a pivot 76 transverserelatively to the bolt and is pressed by a suitable trigger spring 77into an initial position to hold the trigger sear 73 in the path of thecocking sear 72. The trigger lever 78 is engageable by a finger in theusual manner to turn the trigger cam 74 so as to withdraw the triggersear 73 from the cocking sear 72, thereby to release the cocking piece39 and allow the firing pin spring 46 to ram the firing pin 31 againstthe valve stem 28. The cocking sear 72 rides in a cocking groove 79 inthe usual upper tang 81 on the rear end of the receiver so that rotationof the cocking piece 39 is prevented.

In operation the bolt body 11 is slidable and rotatable within thereceiver 2. The bolt collar 36 is held also by a set screw 82 so as torotate with the bolt body 11 relatively to the cocking piece 39. Thecartridge 6 is inserted into the receiver 2 ahead of the retracted boltbody 11 in the usual manner. Then the bolt body 11 is pushed into thereceiver 2. As the pivoted extractors 53 reach the tapered shoulder 63of the receiver periphery, they are pushed inwardly against the boltbody 11 and the claws 58 thereof enter into the extractor groove 8 ofthe cartridge. The remaining portion of the extractor groove 8 isengaged by the fixed claw 61. The cartridge 6 is thus pushed into thefiring chamber 4 of the barrel breech 3 as shown in FIG. 3. Then thebolt body 11 is turned so as to interlock the locking lugs 13 with thelocking grooves 16 of the receiver 2. As the bolt body 11 is pushed intothe receiver 2 the trigger sear 73 blocks the cocking sear 72 before thebolt body 11 is completely inserted thereby to cock the firing pin 31and compress the firing pin spring 46. When the trigger is pulled andthe cocking sear 72 is released, then the firing pin spring 46 rams thefiring pin 31 against the valve stem 28 and thus rams the firing tit 24into primer cup 9. The gases generated by firing push the primer cup 9against the firing valve 21 and seat the valve 21 on its valve seat 19,thereby sealing the passage in the bolt body 11. After the firing thebolt body 11 is turned so as to withdraw the locking lugs 13 from thelocking grooves 16 and then the bolt body 11 is withdrawn from thereceiver 2. As the pivoted extractors 53 pass rearwardly beyond thetapered shoulder 63, the action of the extractor spring 49 pushes theextractor actuator sleeve 43 forward so as to push the lever arms 52forward and thereby urge the extractors 53 outward, to release theextractor groove 8 of the cartridge 6. Thereupon the ejector pin 64tilts the cartridge about the fixed claw 61 as a fulcrum toward and outthrough the ejection port 83.

Then the rifle may be reloaded and fired again as heretofore described.The cocking piece 39 is cocked also when the bolt body 11 is turnedabout sixty degrees from the full line position shown in FIG. 8 to thedotted line position of the handle 17. The steepness and depth of thecocking cam 44 on the end of the receiver hub 50 is such that by suchsixty degree turn into open or retracting position of the boltrelatively to the cocking piece39, the interaction of the cam pin 45 andthe cocking cam 44 pushes the cocking piece 39 away from the bolt collarhub 50 so that the cocking sear 72 is pushed over and beyond the triggersear 73 and is held cocked by the latter. During the full retraction ofthe bolt the aforesaid cam action holds the cocking piece in such spacedattitude so that when the bolt is reinserted into the receiver 2 andturned back sixty degrees to the locked firing position then the cam pin45 and the cocking cam 44 are out of alignment and spaced from one andother as needed for the action of the firing pin, as shown in FIG. 3.

I claim:

1. In a bolt action in firearms for loading and ejecting a cartridgehaving a casing with a flat end and having a primer in the center ofsaid fiat end,

(a) a bolt body having a flat faced firing end and a cocking end,

(b) said flat faced firing end'having an axial recess therein conforminggenerally to the contour of said primer,

(c) a valve seat formed in the bottom of said recess,

(d) a firing valve in said recess seated on said valve seat by the gasgenerated by the firing of said primer thereby to prevent escape of gasfrom said primer and from said recess,

(e) a firing member on said valve to fire said primer,

(f) cockable ramming means in said bolt spaced from said valve whencocked,

(g) means on said valve slidable in said flat faced firing end forcoacting with said ramming means for ramming said valve and said firingmember against said primer for firing the primer,

(h) releasable means for cocking said firing pin.

2. The bolt action defined in claim 1, and

(g) said firing member on said valve being a projection extended fromsaid valve toward said primer.

3. The bolt action defined in claim 1, and

(g) said cockable ramming means including a firing pin axially alignedwith said valve and (h) resilient means to ram said firing pin againstsaid valve.

4. In a bolt action as defined in claim 1, and

(i) said cartridge having an extractor groove adjacent said flat end,

(j) claw means engaging said extractor groove to hold said fiat end ofsaid cartridge against said flat faced firing end.

5. The bolt action defined in claim 4, and

a (k) said claw means engaging the extractor groove of said cartridgeall around.

6. The bolt action defined in claim 4, and said claw means including (k)a fixed claw extending from the firing end of said bolt and aroundone-third of the periphery of the end of said bolt, and

(l) a pair of movable claws, each extending around another one-third ofthe periphery of said bolt,

(m) and means coacting with said receiver for closing and opening saidmovable jaws respectively as the bolt is inserted and retracted.

7. The bolt action defined in claim 4 and (k) resilient means to urgesaid valve normally onto said valve seat.

8. The bolt action defined in claim 7.

(i) said valve seat having a recess in front of said valve foraccommodating said firing projection.

9. In a bolt action for firearms, means for loading and 6 extracting acartridge, said cartridge having a primer in its base and an extractorgroove around its base periphery, comprising,

(a) a bolt body having a firing end and a cocking end (b) means in thefiring end of said bolt for ramming said primer for firing saidcartridge (c) a fixed claw extended from the firing end of said boltaround a portion of the periphery thereof for engaging a portion of theperiphery of said extractor groove (d) a plurality of pivoted clawsextending from said firing end of said bolt into engagement with all theremaining portions around said extractor groove thereby to clamp theentire groove periphery and prevent swelling of said casing at saidgroove (e) a receiver on the firearm for receiving said bolt having anejection port on a side thereof (f) means in said receiver to press saidivoted claws into said extractor groove at about the point of loading insaid receiver during the movement of said bolt inwardly of said receiverand to release said pivoted claws at said loading area of the receiverduring the retracting of said bolt from said receiver (g) said fixedclaw being aligned with the ejection port of said receiver during theretracting of said bolt (h) and ejector means in the firing end of saidbolt abutting the base of said cartridge eccentrically and generallydiametrically opposite to said fixed claw thereby to tilt and eject thecartridge through said ejection port.

10. The bolt action defined in claim 9, and

(i) resiliently yieldable means in said bolt connected to said pivotedclaws normally to urge said pivoted claws into cartridge releasingposition.

11. In a bolt action for firearms, means for loading and extracting acartridge, said cartridge having a primer in its base and an extractorgroove around its base periphery, comprising,

(a) a bolt body having a firing end and a cocking en (b) means in thefiring end of said bolt for ramming said primer for firing saidcartridge (c) a fixed claw extended from the firing end of said boltaround a portion of the periphery thereof for engaging a portion of theperiphery of said extractor groove (d) a plurality of pivoted clawsextended from said firing end of said bolt into engagement with theremaining port-ions all around said extractor groove, said pivoted clawsbeing movable radially away from said bolt (e) a receiver on the firearmfor receiving said bolt (f) said receiver having an enlarged peripherybeginning at about the point of loading in said receiver to accommodatethe movement of said pivoted claws away from said extractor groovethereby to disengage them from said cartridge (g) and releasing means tomove said pivoted clawsout of said groove at said enlarged periphery.

12. The bolt action defined in claim 11, said releasing means comprising(h) a sleeve slidable in said bolt (i) a lever extended from the pivotof each pivoted claw connected to said sleeve so as to swing the pivotedclaw outwardly from the end of said bolt during retraction of the bolt(j) resilient means to urge said sleeve toward the firing end of saidbolt to swing said pivoted claws.

13. The bolt action defined in claim 11 (f) said receiver having anejection port on one side thereof for the ejection of the cartridge g)said fixed claw being so located as to be on the sideof the boltadjacent to said ejection port during the retracting of the bolt (h) anejector device in the firing end of said bolt lo- 7 8 cated generallyopposite from the location of said 2,711,041 6/1955 Harvey 42-25 fixedclaw to tilt the cartridge about said fixed claw 3,114,290 12/1963Harvey et a1 8926 for ejection through said ejection port. FOREIGNPATENTS 19,8 1 t B 't References Cited by the Examiner 5 120 2? 32? giiggggf UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,587 5/1890 Mauser 42 25 BENJAMIN A.BORCHELT, Przmary Examiner. 1,294,454 2/1919 Hammond 42 16 SAMUELFEINBERG, FRED C. MATTERN, JR., ,345,565 7/1920 Thompson 42-69 10Examiners.

1. IN A BOLT ACTION IN FIREARMS FOR LOADING AND EJECTING A CARTRIDGEHAVING A CASING WITH A FLAT END AND HAVING A PRIMER IN THE CENTER OFSAID FLAT END, (A) A BOLD BODY HAVING A FLAT FACED FIRING END AND ACOCKING END, (B) SAID FLAT FACED FIRING END HAVING AN AXIAL RECESSTHEREIN CONFORMING GENERALLY TO THE CONTOUR OF SAID PRIMER, (C) A VALVESEAT FORMED IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID RECESS, (D) A FIRING VALVE IN SAIDRECESS SEATED ON SAID VALVE SEAT BY THE GAS GENERATED BY THE FIRING OFSAID PRIMER THEREBY TO PREVENT ESCAPE OF GAS FROM SAID PRIMER AND FROMSAID RECESS, (E) A FIRING MEMBER ON SAID VALVE TO FIRE SAID PRIMER, (F)COCKABLE RAMMING MEANS IN SAID BOLT SPACED FROM SAID VALVE WHEN COCKED,(G) MEANS ON SAID VALVE SLIDABLE IN SAID FLAT FACED FIRING END FORCOACTING WITH SAID RAMMING MEANS FOR RAMMING SAID VALVE AND SAID FIRINGMEMBER AGAINST SAID PRIMER FOR FIRING THE PRIMER, (H) RELEASABLE MEANSFOR COCKING SAID FIRING PIN.